Some advice?

I live in Ireland and the area of Aquaponics is still fairly new here. I wish to start of a small business supplying local shops/ businesses. Every kit i have seen cant be shipped out of the U.S., i was wondering if anyone had any advice on DIY my own setup. I wish to have raft and media beds and will have an area of 5000-6000 M sq.

Hi Laura,
How are you doing with your setup. Have you found a supplier for the equipment you need?
What type of fish / veggies you planning on doing.
Have you looked into any of the local bordbia for assistance yet or you doing it solo?
Very interested. I am at the early stages of planning my self.
Gerry

Hi Laura,
I'm a longford man, but based in N.Y. How about yourself?
I haven't made much progress on the set up end, just maintaining my 250 gal tote tank setup.I have been focusing on research and study of both botany and aquaculture.
I will eventually take one of the aquaponic courses available, but it will be selective as there are so many now.
As for perch there is no real market in Ireland , but on the continent it is high demand. The only problem with aquaponics is the yield of fish is so low it would not interest any commercial interest. You mentioned before about aiming at farmer market as an outlet for your produce which allows you to start small and build up as you're market grows.
There is a large fish farm in Monaghan using the RAS system, growing perch bought in at fingerling size and growing them out to market size.
The farm name s ballybay perch farm.
Trout probably is the next best suited fish and could possibly interest local restaurants.
Far as I know if you can get them smoked it will increase their value ,but you have to research the cost and demand.

Yea I have been in contact with Ballybay Perch, just waiting for them to send me out some info.

I was thinking of Perch farming like them but Aquaponics has really caught my attention and I love everything about it.

I am going to a day Aquaponics course in Rathmines this Saturday, I am so excited to see a system in the flesh so to speak. It is being run by Aquaponics Ireland, I will probably bombard them with questions.

Hello Gerry, same thing here. I really wish that my research proves profitable as I would love to develop a AQ local farm here in Spain. Im am too in desperate need of suppliers and realistic numbers. Any help would be very much appreciated. I wish you all the luck. Please reply to me if you would like to share some information .

All the best

Gerry said:

Hi Laura, How are you doing with your setup. Have you found a supplier for the equipment you need? What type of fish / veggies you planning on doing. Have you looked into any of the local bordbia for assistance yet or you doing it solo? Very interested. I am at the early stages of planning my self. Gerry